All Aboard
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.
1. Protective Instincts

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: Well, guys! This is it! My final REGULAR _Sofia the First_ story before the finale. After the special airs, I'll begin working on releasing chapters for "Adventures in Magic!" And because I listen to my reviewers and I know what you all like to see by now, I think it's safe to say that this story will have a little bit of most everything in it. I want you to have fun, to wonder about things, to second guess things, to gasp in surprise… lol You know, the usual! The moment the first chapter of AIM ("Adventures in Magic") is released, my website for it will also go live. On my normal Wix page, just click on the photo under the AIM section, and it'll take you straight to the site. (No, it's not up yet. Lol. I'll post it on my profile when it is.) I hope you enjoy!

PS: Did anyone else see the official trailer for the movie? AHH! It looks AWESOME!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 1: Protective Instincts

Graduation was fast approaching, and it hung over the Royal Prep kids like an exciting yet apprehensive blanket. In a few weeks, they'd all be going their own directions in the next chapter of their lives, and it was both exhilarating and terrifying.

No one felt this conflict of emotions more than Sofia at this point. She was looking forward to the next part of her life, but she hated to say goodbye to that comfortable environment she'd been immersed in the last several years, since she first became a princess. It seemed every time she got used to something, it was ripped away from her. Still, she knew she'd be fine. She would—

"Sofia!"

"Huh?!" Sofia blinked in surprise as Chrysta hovered before her, her arms folded and a pensive look on her face. The princess smiled guiltily and clasped her hands behind her back. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Girl, you've been zoning out more and more often," the older Protector declared. "What's the matter?"

She sighed and reached up, twirling her fingers in her ponytailed hair. "Nothing, I'm just…" She shrugged. "Amber, James, and I are graduating from Royal Prep in a few weeks, and I guess I'm just…distracted thinking about what's going to happen afterward."

"Oh, is that all?" Chrysta laughed. "Sofia, it's perfectly normal to be unsure about the future! When I first became a Protector myself, I had a lot of doubts and worries, because it was all new. But after some time, things just sort of fell into place." She placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think you'll find that everything will turn out better than you're expecting."

Sofia frowned thoughtfully. "But what about Prisma? We still don't know what's going on with her. And the Wicked Nine… And just, _everything_!"

Chrysta sighed. Of all the proteges she could have taken on, she _would_ have gotten the one who was the most mature yet worrisome Protector she had ever met. Sofia acted far beyond her years, and for that she was grateful. But sometimes she wished the girl wouldn't take on so much stress and learn to live in the moment. But… She digressed. "Sofia, you know we've got your back when Prisma shows her face again. Anything that happens, we'll always be here to help you. That's what Protectors are all about, right?"

Sofia nodded, still a bit distracted.

"And, um… I hate to even ask this at this point, since it seems you're kind of preoccupied with all your thoughts and everything…"

The auburn-haired princess blinked up at her trainer. "What? What is it?"

"Well… It's kind of, sort of…a mission of sorts." She saw the girl's look change to one of curiosity and even determination. "Oh, _now_ you seem a bit more interested. Do you think you can handle a mission right now though, since you're concerned about the graduation and everything?"

"It may be the distraction I need, actually." Sofia put her hands on her hips. "Tell me about the mission."

"There's a magical boarding school in a more secluded area that Vega located. Actually, she's known about it for some time and has tried her best to monitor it." Chrysta vaguely gestured with her right hand. "It seems that there's some sort of wicked force there, draining students of their magic and energy one by one. It's getting to the point where fewer and fewer students are around and attending classes, and it's not clear what the cause of their weakened or drained state is."

Sofia gasped. "Wow. So, what would I do? How can I help?"

The Protector grinned, proud to have a charge who was willing to step in to save the day, no matter what. "Glad you asked. How do you feel about an undercover mission? I think you're more than ready for it, after all your training and experience at this point. You'd go in as a student yourself with a fake name and background, just to see what's going on. We have a contact there helping monitor the situation, but it's been a while since we've had an update."

Blue eyes sparkled in interest. The princess found herself more and more fascinated with missions as she aged. Maybe _this_ was the path she needed to take in life. Undercover missions were exciting yet rewarding when the culprit was caught, the day was saved, and/or the mystery was solved. "What would I need to do?"

"You'll be responsible for locating the disturbance at the school—who's behind it, how the disturbance is being performed, and so on. And then, _you_ will handle that person accordingly."

"How?" Sofia glanced at her Enchantlet before looking up at Chrysta. "I'll capture the person? I'll report back to Vega and Orion? What?"

"You'll know what to do when the time comes." Chrysta winked. "I trust your judgment, Sofia. You're a real Protector: your protective instincts always kick in, and they always help you make the right decision. This will be a true test of your abilities, as long as you're up for it."

Pondering this, the princess nodded, her decision made. "Okay. I'll do it."

To be continued…


	2. Intervention

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: All right! Chapter 2 has arrived! Haha. If you've been wanting to see "Suspicious Cedric" in my stories again, you've got your wish. 😉 With the movie coming out in two weeks, I already have a _strong feeling_ that pretty much _everyone_ is going to discover her secret(s), so this is something of a prelude I suppose. Anyway! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 2: Intervention

Upon arriving to the castle, Sofia immediately went to her room and started packing a bag. She didn't suspect she'd be staying for too long, but she wasn't entirely sure either. Really, how long _should_ one pack for an undercover mission to discover the source of an evil magic-absorber?

Now there was the matter of actually getting to the boarding school. Chrysta was supposed to inform her of all the necessary details soon, but Skye was currently sick and wouldn't be able to accompany her on the mission. She supposed Minimus would be her 'loyal steed' for this trip, but she still wanted to find out more information before letting him in on the secret mission. After all, unlike Skye, Minimus wasn't always completely on board with her secretive missions, even though he always went through with helping her out in the end.

She stopped her packing when she heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" Seeing Amber and James walk inside, she laughed nervously and quickly stood in front of her backpack full of clothes. "Hi, guys! What brings you here?"

Amber frowned at her sister's reaction and folded her arms as she and her brother stopped close to her. "Sofia, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've kind of been acting weird ever since you got home," James told her. "We tried to call to you to get your attention, but you ignored us and hurried to your room. Never mind not being very nice; it's also kind of suspicious."

Sofia frowned at the mentioning. "I'm sorry, you guys. I've just had a lot on my mind."

Noting the bag of clothing behind her sister, the blonde girl raised an eyebrow. "Obviously." She sighed as Sofia's face dropped, realizing she was caught. "Sofia, I know you're nervous about graduation, but I don't think running away is going to solve any problems."

"Running away?"

"I mean," James added, shrugging, "I never took you for the running-away type, but you _have_ been disappearing a lot lately. Does it have anything to do with the dragons we visited a while ago?"

"What? No! Well… Not exactly." James had no clue of her role as a Story Keeper, and he especially didn't know anything about her role as a Protector. It's not that she _wanted_ to keep him in the dark, but… Sofia caught the pointed look from Amber and sighed. "Look, let's… Let's go for a walk and I'll explain what's going on, okay? But you can't tell Mom and Dad."

"Ooh, a secret!" James grinned. "Sofia, what _have_ you been up to recently?"

"A lot," Amber murmured, still eyeing her younger sister carefully. She knew more than anyone in their family (and castle) what Sofia spent her spare time doing. Not that she didn't think Sofia could handle herself, but she didn't like that the other princess was often on her own and in danger.

As they walked, Sofia explained that she'd discovered that there was a magical boarding school that had students being drained of energy and magic left and right, and she wanted to see if she could help them. She told as much as she could without revealing anything about her Protector status or the Mystic Isles. While Amber realized how she might have come by such information, James was completely lost.

"How do you even know about that?" he asked, confused. "And why is it your responsibility to help them? Not that I don't think those kids need help, but why does it have to be _you_ doing it?"

"It just… _does_ , okay?" Sofia sighed, calming down. It was so hard trying to conceal her secret, and she hated not being able to reveal everything to her family and friends (minus Amber, of course), but…it was the way it had to be for now. She couldn't put _them_ in danger. "I'd never forgive myself if I could have helped these people and didn't. It would really bother me, every single day."

"But Sofia," Amber sighed, "as much as I agree with you, and I know your heart is in the right place, let's not forget that _we_ have graduation coming up. There's still so much to do to get ready for it."

"Don't you think I know that, Amber?" Sofia asked a little too harshly, before backing down and murmuring a soft apology after seeing the shocked look on the other girl's face. "I know… And no matter what, I'll be ready…I guess." She frowned, determined. "But helping those students is important to me. I can't just ignore them and let whoever is doing this get away with it."

The twins sighed together. They couldn't change their sister's mind once she'd made a decision. They knew that quite well. Sofia was stubborn at worst and dedicated at best. She'd come a long way from being that scared, uncertain little girl who entered those castle gates all those years ago.

"Whatever you decide, Sof, we're with you," James told her, placing a hand on her shoulder and earning a smile from her. "Just be careful."

"I will. I promise." She sighed as they headed off to take care of some things. She never would expect them to understand how much responsibility she had. She didn't want them to worry about that, really. She could handle things on her own, or so she believed, anyway… Turning, she began walking again and promptly ran into someone. Glancing up, she blinked. "Hi, Mr. Cedric."

Cedric stood before her, his arms folded and a deep frown on his face. If Sofia didn't know any better, she could have sworn this was a throw-back to the first time she ran into him…in almost the exact same spot too!

Sofia smiled uncertainly, seeing he still hadn't said anything. "Um… Are you okay?"

"Can't say that I am," he admitted seriously, his voice a bit more even than she was expecting.

"Oh? Uh…" She swallowed nervously, a bit concerned about his strange response. "What's wrong?"

"I overheard your conversation with your brother and sister."

"…Oh."

Cedric finally unfolded his arms and placed his hands on his apprentice's shoulders instead. "Sofia, listen to me and listen carefully." He sighed as she blinked. "I know you're a strong person in your own right—helping others, standing up for people, doing what's right… But I'll never understand why you always feel it's necessary to take on wicked forces on your own."

"Mr. Cedric…"

"I'm inclined to agree with your siblings, my dear," he continued as he released her shoulders. "Honestly, I wish you'd let someone else handle it and stay out of the situation altogether. I worry about you, you know."

Sofia gasped. She knew that Cedric cared about her and about her safety, but hearing him say it out loud meant a lot.

"Every time you go off on another adventure or put yourself in danger for the sake of others… I always wonder if things will turn out well…or if…"

She hugged him gently, smiling as he knelt to her and returned the hug. She leaned back a few moments later and mimicked his earlier motion of placing her hands on his shoulders this time. "Mr. Cedric, I promise, I'll be careful. No matter what happens, I'll always come back to you guys."

Cedric really didn't care for the way she'd said that, for some reason. It was then that he made a decision. "I'm going with you."

"Huh?" She lowered her hands as he released her but still stayed at her level.

"I made your father a promise after last year—a promise to remember all you've done for me and be grateful for it. I am. And I promised myself that I'd always try to keep you safe, as it's the least I could do for someone who saved _me_."

"You want to go…with me?" Granted, having Cedric along with her on the mission might be better and even safer, but she wasn't sure what to say if he asked her about the origin of this mission. She couldn't very well tell him about her role as a Protector. But how would she handle that? She then smiled slowly, nodding. "All right, Mr. Cedric. But there's just one thing. This is an undercover mission at a boarding school…with kids. You're going to have to change into your child form if you want to go."

He made a face at the notion of reverting to his child form, but his concern for his apprentice's wellbeing outweighed his hesitation. He sighed and nodded. "Very well."

"We're going with you guys."

Cedric and Sofia turned to see that the twins had approached yet again, looks of determination on their faces.

Amber smirked as Sofia gaped at them. "What? We can't let you two have all the fun."

"Amber, James, I…" Sofia realized immediately that telling her siblings no just wasn't going to be an option. She sighed and relented, shrugging. "All right. The more, the merrier, I guess."

"Whoo!" James cheered loudly until Amber slapped a hand over his mouth, shushing him. He smiled sheepishly as she lowered her hand. "Sorry. I mean, yay!" He grinned.

"Oh, yeah," Sofia remarked sarcastically before laughing uncertainly. "What could _possibly_ go wrong?"

To be continued…


	3. Parental Agreement

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: Time for some plotting and preparing! Also, where I teach, the seniors get the week before graduation off to prepare; here, I've edited it a bit to where the Royal Prep kids get "a few weeks" to prepare. Is it accurate? No idea. Lol. But I'm going with it. Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 3: Parental Agreement

That evening, Roland called their kids, Baileywick, and Cedric into the throne room to speak with them about something important. All of them had different ideas of what that important something might be, but no one was the least bit surprised by the actual conversation.

"We'll be leaving tonight to head to a Multi-Kingdom Conference in Tangu for a few days," Roland advised them.

Amber blinked. "Oh, right. You mentioned that last week."

"Yes. So, Cedric, Baileywick, we'll trust you two to take care of the kids while we're gone."

"It would be our pleasure, Your Majesty," Baileywick answered instantly.

"R-Right," Cedric followed up, not nearly as convincingly.

"Actually, Daddy," Amber intervened, smiling kindly toward her father, "Sofia, James, and I have been invited to stay a few nights with Hildegard at her castle, starting tomorrow. A lot of the Royal Prep kids will be there, and it will be sort of like a one-last-time-before-graduation thing. Is it okay if we go?"

Sofia silently thanked her sister for coming up with an excuse. Not only was the younger princess an awful liar, but she was still scared to even tell a small lie, for fear that her amulet might become curse-happy again.

"Sure, I don't see why not," the king responded with a nod.

"Yes, that will be good for you and your friends, I think," Miranda added with a smile. "I hope you have a great time."

Luckily, their studies at Royal Prep were already complete, and they had the few weeks prior to graduation to prepare. Therefore, this plan worked out better than they'd anticipated.

"Um, Your Majesties," Cedric began as both royals turned to him now, "if it's all right with you, since the children will be gone and Baileywick has his own duties to tend to, could I possibly take those few days to…visit my parents?"

Sofia gave her mentor a sardonic look.

"My mother informed me that it's been 'thirty-two days since Ceddy-kins has last visited,' and I'm afraid she is going to literally drag me to Mystic Meadows to spend time with her and my father if I don't rectify the situation." He had to admit it: he was exceptionally proud of this fib, because he wasn't exactly good at lying on the spot… …And it had actually been thirty- _four_ days, but who was counting?

Roland had to laugh at that, and he nodded while calming himself down. "Sure, Cedric. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble with Winifred. And I know very well that she probably _would_ do that, so go and tell them we said hello."

Cedric bowed appreciatively. "Thank you, King Roland."

"And while they are gone, I'll oversee the castle and maintain order, Your Majesties," Baileywick informed them with a respectful bow.

"That's fine, Baileywick," Miranda laughed. "Just make sure to take some personal time for yourself at some point, okay?"

"I'll try my best, Queen Miranda."

The kids bid their parents farewell and a safe journey before leaving the throne room, with Cedric in tow. Out in the hallway, Sofia folded her arms and stared at Cedric pointedly.

"What?" he asked, surprised at Sofia's seemingly random action.

"I know we needed an excuse to go on this adventure, but you really _should_ go see your parents once we get back, you know."

"I know, I know," he relented sighing. "I've just been so busy recently. But I promise, I'll go when we get back, all right?"

She smiled. "Good." She then glanced at the other two. "I think we should leave early in the morning. We can use one of the flying coaches, and Mr. Cedric can enchant it so that we won't need a driver. I don't want anyone telling Mom and Dad what we were really up to."

"Good point," James admitted. "I totally didn't think about that."

"Where exactly _are_ we going, Sofia?" Amber asked, her hands on her hips now. "I know it's a boarding school, but where is it? Which one?"

"Um…" Come to think of it, Sofia didn't have all that information yet. She needed to speak with Chrysta, and quickly. "I'll have all that information in the morning. I mean, I _have_ it, but…I can't remember the exact location. But I'll show you guys when we get ready to leave."

"All right," the blonde girl said with a yawn. "As long as we won't get lost."

"Fear not, Princess Amber," Cedric assured her. "Once we have our definitive location, I will be able to have everything accurately set up to get us to our destination."

The four of them bid each other goodnight and headed off in their own rooms for the evening.

Once she entered her bedroom, Sofia immediately activated her Enchantlet and contacted Chrysta, who appeared before her with what appeared to be a forkful of pasta nearing her mouth. The princess grinned. "Am I calling at a bad time?" she teased.

Chrysta rolled her eyes and set her fork down before smirking. "What's up, Princess?"

"Do you guys have all the information for me? I don't even know exactly where this boarding school is or what it's called."

"Yeah, I talked to Orion and Vega earlier and got everything for you."

"Oh, and there's one more thing." She shrugged. "Mr. Cedric, James, and Amber are all going with me." She saw the confused look on her trainer's face and smiled apologetically. "They didn't want me going by myself."

"I see… Hang on just a minute." She turned and spoke off-screen to someone nearby before grinning back at Sofia. "We've taken care of it. Vega is making the arrangements right now. First of all, the boarding school is called Le Calcaire Boarding School, and it's located in France."

"France?"

"Yep. Our Undercover Protector who's currently there knows you're coming, so keep an eye out when you get there. Let me get back to you in about half an hour, and I'll give you some updates, okay?"

"Is that code for, 'Sofia, you called me in the middle of my supper, so let me go so I can eat?'" She giggled.

"Partially, but it's also, 'I gotta oversee this registration of these extra people so you guys don't get kicked out the moment you walk into the school.'"

"Sounds reasonable. Okay, I'll talk to you in a little while then." Sofia silenced the connection before looking back at her half-packed backpack. She then decided to go ahead and finish up while she waited.

A little while later, Sofia responded to her Enchantlet when it activated, and she laughed upon seeing Chrysta's annoyed face. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Coming up with four fake names, backgrounds, and parental authority figures for you guys is _not easy_. But I did it!" She grinned. "Well, technically, Orion helped, but I came up with the names."

"Oh, no," Sofia sighed. "What kind of names did you give us?"

She grinned. "You'll see. Everything else has already been messengered over to the school, so everything will be ready to go when you get there."

Sofia took a bit more time to get necessary information from Chrysta, including the fake names, before calling it a night. With her bag packed and her Protector outfit picked out for the next day, she lay in bed, staring at the top of her canopy. Many different thoughts rushed through her head, but she managed to silence them before ultimately falling asleep.

To be continued…


	4. Boarding Abroad

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: And now, we're off to boarding school! :D Two of the names (specifically Cedric's and Ambers) that I've chosen for their undercover personalities are two of my favorite names. 😉 Anyway, the Undercover Protector who shows up in this chapter is from my story "Never Enough," and will also be a major character in my story "Adventures in Magic." Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 4: Boarding Abroad

The next morning, the quartet met outside near a spare flying coach (sans horse), which Cedric had already enchanted. He placed their bags inside the coach before helping each of the royal children inside.

"So, where is our destination?" Cedric asked as he tapped his wand against his hand.

Sofia passed some information to him. "We're going to Le Calcaire Boarding School in France."

"I've heard that's a rather prestigious magical school," the sorcerer responded as he looked over everything Sofia had written down. "All right, I'll get our course set."

After getting the enchanted flying coach on the path toward the boarding school, Sofia finally decided it was time to divulge the undercover names to the others.

"Okay, here are the names." She glanced up at Amber. "Your name is Desiree."

Amber grinned and flipped her hair playfully. "It even sounds mysterious, but it also sounds so classy. Perfect!" She laughed as her brother rolled his eyes.

"James, your undercover name is Stefan."

"I met a kid named Stefan once," the boy remarked. "He liked frogs and smelled like cheese." He snickered. "He was actually a pretty cool guy."

Sofia shook her head before turning to Cedric. "Mr. Cedric, your undercover name is Tobias."

"Tobias…" He pondered the name. "It sounds like the name of an esteemed leader."

"And what exactly would you be leading?" Amber teased. "An army of enchanted flying coaches?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing, Princess Amber," the sorcerer retorted with a chuckle. He looked toward his apprentice. "And what is your name going to be?"

"I'll be Kalina." She gestured among the group. "According to the files, none of us are 'related.' Instead, we're chosen transfer students who applied for a scholarship to the school and received it."

"And how did you manage that?" Cedric asked curiously.

Sofia grinned sheepishly. "We all have our secrets, Mr. Cedric."

He eyed her curiously before shrugging. "Hmm."

The journey took roughly three hours to complete before the group found themselves in France. From the windows, they admired the beauty of the landscapes and the grand buildings.

"I think I see the school," Sofia pointed out before turning to Cedric. "Go ahead and drink your youth potion."

He nodded and withdrew the potion from his robe. "Just so you are all aware, this potion lasts three days, and I didn't have any extra. So, I'm rather hoping that this mission of yours won't take that long."

The princess smiled uncertainly as he put the bottle to his lips and began drinking. "You and me both…"

After a few seconds, Cedric transformed into Little Cedric, who seemed a bit dazed.

"Wow," Cedric murmured, shaking his head. "I don't think I'll be drinking anymore youth potions for a while after this."

"Why?" James wondered. "What happened?"

"I got a little disoriented. But I'll be all right." He placed the empty bottle into his bag before pouting. "My feet no longer touch the floor."

Sofia giggled, playfully nudging him. "Welcome to _my_ world."

Upon arrival, Cedric cast a spell to hide the horseless coach in a nearby wooded area. Afterward, the four friends entered the rather intimidating-looking school, which was surrounded by tall oaks and shrouded in ivory. There were statues of various famous wizards and warlocks from centuries past. Even one of Merlin stood front and center at the entrance.

"We need to sign in with the headmistress," Sofia informed them as she looked over her information from Chrysta. "Lady Lacroix."

"Weird name," James commented with a distracted tone as he continued looking around at all the statues.

"She's French, dear brother," Amber remarked before grabbing his collar and turning him around in the direction that the others were now walking. "Pay attention and don't get lost."

"Yes, _Desiree_ ," he teased, snickering.

The headmistress's office was every bit as daunting as the outside of the building. It was large, pale blue, and had every wall covered with bookcases. In the center of the room was a huge wooden desk with various items atop it, each organized and neat. And at the desk sat a woman with her red hair tied into a bun, spectacles framing her face and covering her sea green eyes, and an immaculate black business suit, showing that she was, in fact, the woman in charge.

"May I help you?" the woman asked in her heavy French accent as the children were ushered in by another woman, who shut the door behind them.

"Um, hi," Sofia began as she realized that the others had no intention of speaking. "Are you Lady Lacroix?"

The redhead smiled patiently and gestured toward the nameplate on her desk. "Indeed. How may I help you, children?"

"We're here from that scholarship program—the four of us were chosen to attend the school. I'm Kalina, and these three are Desiree, Stefan, and Tobias."

"Oh, of course! Our scholarship winners." She stood up and walked over to them, smiling gently as she knelt to their level. "Le Calcaire is fortunate to have the best and the brightest, and no doubt you are. I'm glad such young, brilliant minds are willing to learn our curriculum and its ties to the world of magic."

"Magic," James whispered to his twin. "Knowing my luck, I'll end up turning us into toads."

Amber cringed at the thought before nudging him to get him to hush, which he did.

"Well, then," Lady Lacroix began as she stood, "let me show you to your rooms. Being so late in the year, I consider the four of you extremely lucky. We have two remaining rooms directly across from each other. The girls will be in 117, and the boys will be in 118." She handed each of them a key to their designated room assignments. "Breakfast is at 6:00 AM each morning in the food hall, which is in the center of the school. Just follow the signs. You will all share the same schedule, which will be in your rooms awaiting you. Also, as the day is at an end already, you will begin your classes tomorrow."

"That's good," Amber sighed, "because that journey was tiring."

Lady Lacroix laughed warmly before guiding them from her office and to the student hallway, stopping at the crossway to their rooms. "Now, before I leave you, I'll explain a few rules and expectations we have here. First, curfew is 8:30, and there is a room check at 9:00. If you're not in at your designated time, you will be dismissed from the school. We are also a no-tolerance school, so any unsightly displays or demonstrations of violence will not be tolerated. You are expected to attend all classes and complete all work. Any other rules you will find in your packets inside, which also contain your course texts. Any questions?"

James's hand shot up.

The red-haired woman blinked. "Yes?"

"What time do we eat tonight?" He grinned sheepishly as his stomach suddenly growled, causing him to blush. "I'm, uh… Kind of hungry."

"Ugh, _Stefan_ ," Amber groaned, emphasizing his fake name. Her brother was so embarrassing sometimes.

Lady Lacroix just smiled kindly. "Supper will begin at 5:30 PM. Lunch is served daily at 11:45 AM. Any other questions?" Seeing the children shaking their heads, she nodded. "Welcome to Le Calcaire. I hope you enjoy." With that, she turned and left.

The quartet decided to investigate their rooms, which were minimalistic to say the least. Two twin beds per room with a shared nightstand between them were the highlight of the rooms. Each had a large window with dark green curtains and two desks designed for study purposes. The color scheme was rather neutral: beige and gray. Any hope of individuality was immediately out the window.

"Congratulations, Sofia," Amber remarked sarcastically. "You've landed us in the most boring undercover mission bedrooms possible."

Sofia gave her sister a playful grin. "I aim to disappoint." She turned as the boys entered. "Is the room you guys are sharing the same as ours?"

"Of course not," Cedric scoffed. "In our room, we have _yellow_ pillowcases." He grinned.

"We're gonna unpack and take a nap," James informed the girls. "What are you guys going to do?"

"I think I'll do the same," Amber admitted with a yawn.

Sofia nodded. "Eventually, I'll get around to it. I want to look over this information first."

A while later, while the other three were sleeping, Sofia decided to do some investigating. Chrysta had told her that an Undercover Protector was at the school, and she had every intention of finding that person.

The hallways were pretty ordinary as well, just like the student rooms. She had to wonder if it was done on purpose. However, there were at least lines of portraits to view in the halls.

At one point, she was caught off guard by a hushed whisper from one of the dark corridors.

"Princess Sofia!"

Chills ran down the girl's spine. Aside from her siblings and Cedric, no one here knew her real name. "W-Who's there?" A magically-enhanced light from a wand illuminated the corridor, and Sofia breathed a sigh of relief as she instantly recognized the person. "Dexter, you scared me!"

Dexter, a part-time Undercover Protector for Mystic Isles, had helped her out once before, when discovering the disturbance in Rudistan and the link to Mayezeiya. Now, it appeared he was doing much the same. He smiled, his brown eyes reflecting against the light. He looked the same: dark hair swept back into a half-ponytail, a star-themed uniform, and a kind demeanor. "I was wondering when you would arrive."

"My friend, my siblings, and I left Enchancia this morning," she explained. "They insisted on coming with me, and trust me, I had to dodge a lot of questions so that they wouldn't discover my secret as a Protector. That's…kind of hard, to be honest."

He shrugged. "I can imagine. Plus, being a princess on top of that… I'm honestly surprised you've been able to keep at it as long as you have without the royal guard discovering."

"Yeah… I have my ways." She suddenly became a bit more serious as she approached him. "So, what do I need to know?"

"I have these for you." He handed her a folder full of documents before proceeding his explanation. "There have been reports of students at this school either losing energy or losing all of their magic permanently. That's the worst part, really, is the magic loss. Whoever is responsible is also apparently draining magic from every item possible: wands, pendants, enchanted paintings—you name it. As for the kids, many of them, after being drained, are seen walking around like lifeless, empty vessels…which, let me tell you, is rather scary."

Sofia clutched the documents to herself, listening intently.

"The administration either hasn't noticed or may not even care."

"Really?" She blinked. "Lady Lacroix seemed nice enough. Maybe she's just unaware."

"Yeah, maybe." He tapped the documents. "Your job is to get to the bottom of this: who's doing this, and why?"

"Right…"

"Sofia!"

She turned, hearing her sister's voice. She sighed as she saw Amber waving at her from the other end of the long hallway. Turning back to Dexter, she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, got to go. My sister tends to get a little impatient if she's kept waiting."

He chuckled. "I get it. Good luck and stay safe." With that, he vanished.

Sofia hurried back to Amber, who looked perplexed. "What's wrong, Amber?"

"Nothing. You just seemed to disappear on me." She glanced at her sister's arms, which encased the important documents. "So… Are you going to tell me what's really going on?"

She nodded. "It's exactly what I told you guys. But the Protectors sent me to see if I can solve this problem; you guys just happen to be here as well this time."

"I see…"

"Please don't tell James or Mr. Cedric," Sofia requested, sighing.

"I can understand not telling James," Amber began with a roll of her eyes, "but I'm surprised you haven't mentioned any of this to Cedric yet. It doesn't seem like something you would keep from him. You two are very close, after all."

"I know, and that's _why_ I want to keep it a secret for now." She frowned. "I'm not ready. I want to keep him safe, and not just because it's my role as a Protector—because he's my friend and I care about him, and if anything happened to him…"

The blonde girl smiled softly before reaching over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know. You're always keeping him safe, even last year with all that mess that happened. I won't say anything to him, or to James."

Sofia smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Amber."

Together, they headed back to their rooms, neither one noticing that they were being watched.

To be continued…


	5. Magic Words

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: All right, everyone! Get your textbooks and homework ready—we're heading to class! *I swear I just heard a collective groan of dismay. Lol. Maybe I'm preparing for my classes again tomorrow. Haha.* Also, this is when things start getting…weird. Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 5: Magic Words

A day at Le Calcaire Boarding School seemed rather typical to the Enchancian quartet. It was just like being in a normal school, except instead of studying history and other mixed subjects then going home after the day finishes, students here predominantly studied magic before heading back to their bedrooms. It was both normal and strange at the same time.

Their six classes consisted of the following:

7:30-8:30: Wandology 106

8:35-9:35: Advanced Alchemy 201

9:40-10:40: Astronomy 118

10:40-11:25: Study Hall

11:30-12:00: Lunch

12:05-1:05: Latin Etymology 101

1:10-2:15: Basics of Magic 111

2:20-3:20: Secrets of Magic 101

"I think I'll really like that astronomy class," Amber gushed while the four of them were eating breakfast in the food hall. "Maybe I can learn some new secrets to help out with my own stargazing."

"That's all well and good," Cedric began, "but let's not forget why we're really here, hundreds of miles away from Enchancia."

James grinned as he twirled his spoon in his fingers. "Actually, we just tagged along with Sofia. She's the one trying to stop bad guys or whatever."

"We don't know for sure if it's actually a 'bad guy' we're even dealing with," Sofia reminded them as she picked up her biscuit. "All we do know is there's a disturbance here, and I'm going to try to figure out what it is."

"Um, Sofia," Amber scoffed. "Kids are being drained of magic. I _think_ that hints that there's a 'bad guy' around here."

Sofia shrugged as she finished her biscuit. "Magic is tricky though. We'll just have to see."

Cedric observed the younger princess while she ate. She was far more serious now than she used to be, and there was a subtle sense of concern and maturity that laced her outgoing and kind nature. Of course, he'd always considered her more mature than most people—certainly more than himself, most of the time. Still, it was strange to see a girl on the cusp of her teen years already burdened by the weight of the world, but he'd actually grown more accustomed to seeing that already. After all, she'd saved _him_ from a destructive pathway. Maybe that's what she was destined to do: help others find their way in life.

James grinned and poked Cedric, who let out a little yelp. "You're gonna burn a hole through her head if you keep staring at her," he whispered jokingly.

Cedric flushed in aggravation before starting to eat again. His habit of zoning out and getting lost in his thoughts always found him getting either teased or chided.

* * *

The kids went through the day like all the other students, learning more about the different subjects and even finding a bunch of it fascinating. As expected, Amber loved the astronomy class. James found Wandology cool, because it wasn't just about the basics of the wand—it was getting to use it for all different sorts of things. As a tactile and kinesthetic learner, that suited his needs perfectly. Cedric and Sofia knew a good majority of the things they'd seen so far, but both agreed that the alchemy class was enthralling. They could see why people sent their children to this school if they were magically inclined: it had the best of everything.

The last class of the day, though, was Secrets of Magic 101. While the other classes had a relatively neutral setting, this class took place in the basement of the school. As if that weren't creepy enough, the teacher was rather spooky-looking herself: a slicked back raven ponytail, a crimson dress with sapphire accents, and something of a smirk on her face. Maybe that was just her personality, but it still sent shivers down the kids' spines.

Upon entering the room, Cedric was instantly hit with a pain in his head, and he had to pause just inside the door, with Sofia instantly at his side.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

"I have the worst headache of my life," he murmured back as he attempted to open his eyes and look at her, the pain dulling a moment later. He frowned in concern. "It only happened once I entered the room."

"Maybe you're just hungry. You didn't eat much at lunch earlier." She took his hand and smiled. "You sit in front of me. That way, I can keep an eye on you during the lesson."

Cedric smiled fondly at her. "Thank you, Sofia."

When they were settled, the professor called out all the names for attendance and learned of her four new students, though she didn't seem to be all that concerned with them, before proceeding with her lesson.

"All right, students," the woman began with a confident tone, "we spent yesterday observing the secrets of the Isle of Starfall."

"Ooh, that sounds amazing!" Amber squealed silently as she turned to Cedric, who was sitting next to her. Rather than sharing her enthusiasm, the poor guy looked like he was going to be sick. "Cedric, are you okay?"

He barely managed a soft moan before lowering his head onto his arms.

"Today, we're going to look into ancient spells from Starfall," the teacher continued, grinning excitedly. "Now, the words may sound strange to you, but just remember that this language was verbally passed down until someone finally recorded it in writing. So, repeat after me…"

Sofia wasn't paying much attention to the lesson at this point. She was more concerned about her mentor, who seemed to be a bit weaker than before. She reached out and touched his back, startling him into sitting up. She smiled apologetically before asking softly, "Are you sick?"

"I…" His attention was drawn instantly the moment he heard the woman speaking, the class repeating after her (sans the four of them, who were just watching and listening at the moment).

 _Mon monork wazch aa tirlmon_

 _Mon monork wazch aa tirlorkadon_

 _Mon adonmon leyu_

 _Mon adon adonwazchpiero leyuklaq_

 _Monwazchpieroleyu aa leyumon_

 _Ork aa monstou_

 _Stou Mon' adonwazchpiero_

 _Stou leyu chu_

Cedric frowned at the words. While he didn't catch everything, he knew instantly that what she was saying was _not_ a spell. A spell was never that repetitive, and it especially wasn't that long. It clicked in his mind. ' _It's a curse!_ ' Instantly, his headache grew much stronger, the negative feeling consuming him.

Sofia's hand shot up, silencing the chanting for now. She sighed when the professor turned her attention to her. "May I take my friend to the infirmary? He isn't feeling well."

The raven-haired woman merely nodded. "If you must," she responded curtly, immediately returning to her chanting with the other students.

Sofia exchanged glances with her siblings, who seemed concerned. She gave them a reassuring smile before helping Cedric to his feet and leading him out of the classroom.

Once they were in the darkened corridor, the only light to see by some green flames on the torches, Cedric leaned against the wall and sighed heavily.

"Are you all right?" Sofia asked.

"As long as I'm away from the negative energy of that room, I'm better." He frowned as he glanced at her. "I'm afraid it's much worse than you realize, Sofia."

She felt her breath catch in her throat. "What do you mean?"

"That chanting they were doing—that was no spell. I've studied the etymology of magical words, and there's no doubt in my mind: that was a curse."

The princess's mouth dropped open. This changed everything. She'd have to contact Chrysta soon and inform her of Cedric's discovery. "But… Why would the professor want to curse her own students?"

"I'm not sure, but one thing is painfully obvious." He frowned heavily. "Something very wrong is going on here at Le Calcaire Boarding School. And we need to find out what."

To be continued…

Ending A/N: Fun fact, I've used the 'Make Your Own Language Generator' thingy before, and I found it and used it again. Since it's complete nonsense unless you add in your own phonemes, I'll tell you what the chant actually said. As Cedric stated, it IS a curse. And things are about to get even worse and more complicated/mysterious from here! However, don't be fooled. Things aren't quite as obvious as they seem. 😉

* * *

CURSE:

I give you my powers

I give you my freedom

I offer all

I hold nothing back

Withdraw my magic

Take my identity

Until I'm nothing

But a shell


	6. Claire Lois XIV

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: If you like puzzles of any nature, this chapter is more than likely going to be your cup of tea. It's a bit shorter than the others though, so I apologize for that. :p Still, the mystery element is there, for my mystery-loving readers. 😉 Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 6: Claire Lois XIV

Later that evening, the four Enchancian friends gathered into the girls' room to converse about the day's events, as well as the discovery that Cedric had made. They discussed everything from the courses they witnessed to the professors they had, and they all agreed that the last one was a bit odd and callous, which triggered some red flags in their minds. Still, nothing could be proven just yet, at least not without some concrete evidence. While they were talking, something that appeared to be a note was hastily shoved under the door, and footsteps could be heard running away.

Amber blinked before sliding to the floor and walking over to the door, picking up the note and unfolding it. She read its contents aloud: "Claire Lois XIV." She looked back to the other three. "I wonder if that's the name of some famous magical person, or maybe even a royal?"

Cedric shook his head. "I'm not sure. The name doesn't seem familiar." He lowered his head into his hands as he sat on the bed next to Sofia, who was obviously worried about him.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as Amber walked back to them, sitting next to James across from them.

"Not as bad as I felt in that room, but I still feel rather weak, and I still have a headache."

Sofia nodded before gently rubbing his back, trying her best to make him feel better. "I think you need some rest."

"It's weird, isn't it?" James asked, getting the others' attention. "We got Cedric away from the classroom, but he still feels bad. It's like, whatever made him sick or whatever really happened down there, it's followed him. But did you notice that it didn't affect the rest of us?"

Cedric frowned as he glanced up at the other boy. "What are you saying, Prince James?"

"Maybe whatever got a hold of you _can't_ get a hold of us. Maybe it only affects magical people."

Sofia shook her head as she kept her hand against Cedric's back. "That can't be. If that were the case, don't you think I'd be affected too?" She grasped her amulet and held it up. "I've got the Amulet of Avalor, after all."

Amber shrugged. "Yeah, but _your_ magic comes from the amulet and any other magical item you use." She discreetly nodded toward her Enchantlet, which Sofia noticed. "Cedric is a sorcerer and has a magical lineage, so he's always had magic as a part of him. Whatever is going on is negatively affecting him and all the other students too." She frowned. "If we don't figure out what's going on, he might get hurt…or worse."

Cedric whimpered lightly, lowering his head into his hands again, his energy weakening once more.

Sofia felt both a sense of dread and obligation in that moment: dread for fearing what could happen to her friend, yet obligation to help him no matter what. She would keep him safe. She glanced at Amber's hand, where she still held the piece of paper from earlier. "Let me see that."

Amber handed it to her, watching as Sofia unfolded it and scrutinized the writing. "What are you thinking?"

"Something about this is weird."

"I think this whole thing is weird," James responded with a sigh.

"Not just that, James. Mr. Cedric said he doesn't know anyone by the name of Claire Lois XIV. None of us studied her in our history classes, or we would at least have heard of the name before. And I don't know about you, but I don't remember seeing any portraits or nameplates with that name in this school."

Cedric slowly sat up, staring at her curiously. "What's your point, Sofia?"

She held the paper out for him to see as the twins moved over onto the bed next to them, looking at it curiously. "Maybe there's more to this than we think. What if it's a hidden message, like an anagram or something?"

James's nose scrunched up at the idea. "Why would someone go through all that trouble?"

His twin shrugged. "Maybe someone on the staff or one of the students knows that something is going on, but is too scared to say anything," she reasoned. "If that's the case, maybe someone at the school is responsible for everything that's gone on so far."

"There's no doubt in my mind," Sofia admitted before glancing back at the paper. "I'm going to see if I can figure this thing out."

"I'll take care of Cedric," Amber volunteered, smiling as the mini sorcerer gave her a pathetic look. "Don't worry, Cedric. I'll keep an eye on you while Sofia's working."

He groaned and lowered his head into his hands again. "That's what I'm afraid of."

She giggled and gently patted his back. "I'm not _that_ bad, Cedric."

"Agreed," he murmured, a small smile forming on his face.

James yawned and leaned back on Amber's pillows while Sofia sat at the desk, scribbling out some letters.

Several minutes and scratch-outs later, Sofia's sharp gasp got everyone's attention.

"What is it, Sof?" James asked as he sat up.

"Sofia?" Cedric looked toward her in concern.

Amber frowned. "What did you find?"

Sofia stared down at the paper with wide eyes. "I can't believe it…"

To be continued…


	7. Hidden in Plain Sight

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: And here is where you'll discover the true evil behind the school. Naturally, yet again, there's more to the story than what they see at first. 😊 Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 7: Hidden in Plain Sight

"Sofia?" Amber asked again, walking over to her stunned sister. The other two followed after her as Amber picked up the unscrambled message.

 _Lacroix is evil_

"Lady Lacroix?" Cedric attempted to confirm. "The red-haired woman who was so kind and welcoming when we arrived?"

"There's got to be some mistake," Sofia mumbled. "Wouldn't we have sensed something about her when we got here?"

"Well," James started with a shrug as the others looked toward him, "you can't always judge a book by its cover, right? I mean, sometimes the worst bad guys usually come across as the coolest people."

"Right," Sofia sighed. "Like Princess Ivy appeared to Amber, even though she doesn't remember it. Or like Grimtrix…" She trailed off when she saw Cedric's face contort into one of discomfort. "Anyway, I agree with James. You really can't take people at face value these days."

"I say we confront her," Cedric suggested. "I'd want to demand a reason for her staff's use of curses in what is supposed to be a magical school setting. In fact, how long has this been going on? How many students have they…?" He trailed off, holding a hand to his head. "Mm…"

"I think you should rest first," his apprentice declared, giving him a stern stare. "You're already worn out from today, and I'm not going to have you passing out on us just because we've _maybe_ found something that could point to Lady Lacroix being the one behind everything. Sorry, but you'll be no good to anyone if you try to seek her out before you've gotten a chance to get stronger." She sighed as he reluctantly nodded. "Besides, what if it isn't true? What if someone's framing her or something?"

"That's…a good point," Amber commended. "We should probably just wait until tomorrow to make any decisions." She took notice that Cedric was starting to sway a bit, so she grabbed him by the arms and guided him to the bed, having him sit down. "As for you, Cedric, Sofia's right: you need to rest."

"This is one time I won't argue with you," he muttered, closing his eyes and sighing.

While the twins were seeing to Cedric, Sofia quietly and quickly grabbed James's room key and slipped out the door, hurrying over to the boys' room and shutting the door behind her. She held her wrist out and activated her Enchantlet, contacting Chrysta. Seeing her trainer's face, she began, "We have a problem."

"Already?" Chrysta asked in surprise, blinking. "What's going on?"

"Have you heard of a woman named Lady Lacroix? We got a secret note that I had to unscramble, and it said, 'Lacroix is evil.' She is the headmistress here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Vega told me." She tapped her chin in thought. "I don't know _that_ name, but it does sound a lot like a former evil Mistress of Magic that we tried to stop years ago: Dame LaCrolais. We failed to stop her, and she got away."

"Is it possible that she's disguising herself as the headmistress now?"

"Of course it is. I'd lie low if I were you, though. If that woman _is_ LaCrolais, she's bound to be very powerful and extremely ruthless. She was once accused of draining magic from children in her old village, rendering them completely weak and helpless." She closed her eyes and sighed heavily as the next words escaped her, "And sometimes…worse than that."

Sofia frowned as she picked up on her trainer's meaning. "Oh… I don't know for sure if they're the same people, but I'm going to find out. What I do know is that the same thing is happening here. The kids in our last class were chanting what Mr. Cedric said was a curse, and they were growing weaker. Even he seems to be affected by it."

"That's not good, Sofia," Chrysta warned her. "If Cedric isn't careful, he could lose all of his magic, and ultimately, he may lose his life."

Those words sent a chill through the girl, and she asked, "How do I protect him, Chrysta?"

"You get rid of LaCrolais. Listen, it's not that hard to do. Dame LaCrolais used to wear a cameo pendant around her neck, and it was used to store all the magic she acquired. However, no one has ever been able to destroy it."

"Is it because it's indestructible?"

"No, it's because she never let anyone get close enough _to_ destroy it." The older Protector put her free hand on her hip. "You've got to figure out how to deal with that, Sofia. You're smart. You'll figure something out."

"But—" She gasped when she heard a rapid knock on the door. "I've gotta go. Talk to you later!" She quickly deactivated her Enchantlet and opened the door, only to see James and Cedric standing there. "Um…"

"Sof, what are you doing?" James asked in confusion as he held onto the weakened sorcerer. "It's almost 9:00. They'll be doing room checks soon, and we don't want to get into trouble."

"Uh, r-right. I was just…heh…" She smiled sheepishly as she scooted past the boys, slipping from their room and tossing the key to James. "I'll see you guys tomorrow!" With that, she rushed back into her room and shut the door behind her.

"…That was weird," James remarked.

Cedric shook his head. "Not as weird as whatever is really going on here." With that, he and James turned in for the night.

"Where were you?" Amber asked, annoyed, as Sofia took down her ponytail and shook out her hair before moving behind a changing screen to get into her pajamas. "You can't just go disappearing like that."

"I was talking to the Protectors in Mystic Isles," she confided as she walked out from behind the screen, her lavender pajama shirt and pants replacing her normal clothing. "I think we may have a lead, but we're going to have to be very careful."

"I sure hope this is over soon, because this is a bit more than we signed up for," the other girl proclaimed, yawning and taking down her own hair. She smiled gently as Sofia's expression changed to one of concern. "Sofia, everything's going to be fine. You'll see."

Sofia smiled sadly toward her sister. "I wish I could believe that, Amber…" She sighed. "I really do…"

To be continued…


	8. Down with the Dame

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: Haha, everyone thinks they know what's really going on at this point. We'll see. 😉 Also, a huge fluff warning for this chapter… Like, for real, I just went, "Awww!" when I wrote it. :p You've been warned! Enjoy!

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 8: Down with the Dame

The following day was much the same as yesterday's routine, including the four Enchancians attending each class, study hall, and lunch. However, Cedric was considerably weaker than yesterday and required aid walking. James took his left side while Sofia took his right, and Amber carried his books for him.

"I feel awful, being such a bother," Cedric lamented as they were heading to their final class of the day.

"You're not a bother, Mr. Cedric," Sofia whispered to him, smiling as he glanced at her. "You're our friend. Friends help friends."

He smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Sofia."

"See, that's why she's his favorite," James laughed as Amber smiled and rolled her eyes.

Upon approaching the underground classroom, Cedric instantly stopped within sight of the entrance.

"What's wrong?" James asked, blinking as the young sorcerer began shaking. "Cedric? I mean, uh… Tobias?" He had to be careful not to say their real names in this setting.

"I think he's getting sicker," Amber declared as she set down his books on his desk before exiting into the corridor again.

"What is wrong with your friend?" the professor asked, frowning.

James sighed. "He's been getting really bad headaches since yesterday, and I don't think he's going to make it through class today. If it's okay, I'm just going to take him back to our room, so he can get some rest."

"Very well." She eyed Cedric calmly, her sea green eyes burning into his brown ones. "I hope you…feel better," she stated, a slow smirk forming on her face.

Cedric didn't respond and was more than grateful when James whisked him away from the classroom and back to their shared room.

"You don't think _she's_ the one behind this, do you?" Amber asked quietly as she followed her sister into the classroom. They would at least be able to stake it out and see if anything else strange occurred.

"No," Sofia told her. "She isn't wearing a cameo. The Protector I talked to said to look for a cameo."

"If you say so…"

They watched as the class progressed. The chant didn't occur that day, but the students were far more subdued than yesterday. Like Cedric, they seemed tired and weak, but they also had vacant looks on their faces. In fact, Sofia and Amber were the only two who actually appeared to be fully alert, which more than likely made them stand out a bit.

Still, the professor never mentioned it, and they weren't about to bring it up. The only thing they cared about was wrapping up the day and solving the mystery so that they could get back home.

* * *

Once the class was over, Amber grabbed both Cedric's and her books, placing them into her backpack, before walking with Sofia back to their room. After dropping off the school stuff, they hurried over to the boys' room, knocking on the door.

James answered and ushered them inside. "He's…not doing that great, you guys." He pointed toward Cedric's bed, where the young sorcerer seemed to be slowly slipping in and out of consciousness, his body shaking.

"Mr. Cedric…" Sofia moved over to him, sitting down and grasping his hand. "Mr. Cedric, please, open your eyes for me."

"So…weak…," he murmured, attempting to fight the exhaustion he felt.

"I know, but…" She held tighter to his hand, her heart heavy. She was scared that if he fell asleep, he wouldn't wake up. It had been on her mind since this morning, when he was visibly weaker than yesterday. The last thing she wanted was to lose her mentor and closest friend. Her determination renewed, she took hold of her amulet with one hand while keeping her other firmly clasped with his. "I wish for Mr. Cedric to be freed from the evil magical hold this school has on him."

The amulet hardly reacted. It glowed a little before becoming stagnant again. And Cedric was no better than before. Disheartened, Sofia ripped the amulet from her neck and threw it onto the other bed. "What good is this thing if it can't help me save him?!"

"Sofia, calm down," Amber soothed, placing her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Cedric is going to be fine. We just need to give him some time to rest. After that, we'll follow up on your lead."

"What lead?" James wondered.

"Oh, uh… Sofia thinks she may know a little more information about the headmistress." The blonde princess shrugged as James raised an eyebrow at her. "Look, Sofia, if Lady Lacroix _is_ the woman behind this—and even if she's not—we're going to fight back. We'll see to it that the students who've been affected by negative magic are released from its hold, and we'll also take care of Cedric. Just don't give up, okay?"

Sofia watched as Cedric whimpered softly before pulling his hands from hers and curling up on the bed, his body relaxing and giving into sleep. "I just… I want him to be okay."

"He will be," James urged with a small smile as his younger sister glanced toward him. "Cedric's stronger than we give him credit for. He will be fine." He blinked a few times as a loud rumble sounded through the room. "Uh, as much as I hate to break this moment of seriousness, I'm kind of hungry…"

Amber rolled her eyes. " _Kind of_?" She laughed. "Let's go find something to eat then. Sofia?"

"I'm not hungry," she said softly. "I'll stay here and watch Mr. Cedric."

"Okay." Amber gestured for James to step into the hallway, which he did, before walking over and picking up the amulet. She then stepped over to Sofia, clasping it around her neck again and smiling at her. "We'll need all the help we can get when it's time to settle the score, so maybe you should hold onto this." She gently kissed the crown of her sister's head before leaving with her brother.

Sofia sighed and looked at the amulet now dangling around her neck again. She couldn't blame _it_ for not solving every problem she had. It wasn't realistic. Rather than ponder more over that, she lay down next to her mentor, facing him and watching him sleep, a worried expression on her face. She moved a little closer to him and closed her eyes, cherishing the sound of his breathing—even though it was a bit labored. She reached out and gently placed a hand on his chest, tears welling behind her eyes as she made the best realization she could: his heartbeat was still persistent. These were signs that he still had life and fight left in him, despite how grim the situation looked.

Sofia rested her head against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat lulling her to sleep.

* * *

When the twins returned to check on the other two, they were only slightly surprised to see that Cedric and Sofia were fast asleep and huddled close. They knew very well how much Sofia cared for Cedric and his wellbeing, and the toll the negative magic had taken on him physically had done the same to her emotionally.

Amber smiled and picked up a spare blanket, draping it over the two friends. "Let's let them sleep for a while. They could both use it."

James nodded before grinning. "Know what I brought?" He grabbed his back and withdrew a checker board, smirking at his sister. "Wanna play?"

She returned the smirk. "Only if you're okay with losing."

"Hah, like I'll lose."

An hour later, after four games and four losses on James's part, the twins noticed that the sorcerer was finally stirring.

Cedric sat up, yawning and rubbing at his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Amber asked gently as James began putting away the checker board.

"Better," he admitted. "I never expected when I came here for this to happen. I've never been so weak in my life." He glanced down and noticed that Sofia was still fast asleep, and his gaze softened. "How long has she been…?"

"Since you fell asleep," the other princess responded honestly. "She's worried about you, Cedric."

"We all are," James admitted.

"I appreciate it, really. I just hope we can solve this mystery a bit faster."

"Sofia had a lead," Amber told him, seeing his look change to one of intrigue.

"Really? What was it?"

"I'll…have to let her explain when she wakes up."

Cedric frowned and reached over to the bedside table drawer, withdrawing his wand. With a single flick, he produced some lavender blossoms, resting them next to her head. He smiled as she awoke moments later, inhaling the scent of the flowers. "You're up."

Sofia blinked in confusion before gasping and practically tackling her mentor in a hug, nearly knocking them off the bed. "You're awake! I was so worried…"

He chuckled and returned her hug. "I'm perfectly fine, Sofia…" He sighed as he gently tugged on her ponytail, getting her attention as she released him. "That's a lie, actually… I'm still a bit weak. But I don't feel as bad as the last little while. However, onto more important matters: your sister tells me that you received a lead on this situation."

Sofia nodded reluctantly. "Yeah… Apparently, there was another woman a long time ago accused of doing the same thing that's happening here, but her name was Dame LaCrolais. I don't know for sure if they're the same person, but Lady LaCroix _is_ the one running this school, where a lot of these students are losing their powers and energy, just like you…"

"What are we waiting for, then?" Cedric demanded as he stood to his feet. "Let's confront her already and take her down if she _is_ the culprit."

"Are you sure you're strong enough for that?" Amber asked, concerned.

"Maybe, maybe not, but we won't know until we try." He reached out one hand to Sofia, smiling gently as she hesitantly took it and nodded.

"He's right," Sofia confirmed. "Let's go."

To be continued…

* * *

Ending A/N: I'll write the final chapter sometime this week—maybe tomorrow. And I can tell you right now, it's going to be somewhat long, if my notes are any indication, lol. 😉 Good night!


	9. Safe and Sound

All Aboard

Summary: Chrysta sends Sofia on an Undercover Protector Mission to investigate strange magical occurrences at a boarding school, and her mentor and siblings get pulled along for the ride.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters featured at the boarding school.

A/N: Heads up—this final chapter is a bit lengthy. Lol. Keep up with me, because there will be a lot of different info in this chapter before the resolution. Also, I've developed one final, simple, meaningful story before the series finale next week. It will be called "Enjoy the Journey," and like the first story I ever wrote for this fandom, it will be between Cedric and Sofia. 😊 The story title is based on a song my friend wrote several years ago, and I will release the actual story next week (Friday, September 7). Hope you enjoy!

PS: Special thanks to Creepy-Pasta for helping me make sure this chapter flowed well. I have had _the_ worst time writing this chapter for some reason, and having a fresh set of eyes to preview it really helped. Haha! 😊

Chapter List:

1: Protective Instincts

2: Intervention

3: Parental Agreement

4: Boarding Abroad

5: Magic Words

6: Claire Lois XIV

7: Hidden in Plain Sight

8: Down with the Dame

9: Safe and Sound

*Story*

Chapter 9: Safe and Sound

A sense of uncertainty washed over the quartet as they marched toward the headmistress's office. The whole scenario was daunting, to say the least. What if Lacroix _was_ responsible for the occurrences at the school, and for Cedric's weakened state? What if her kind demeanor when she first met the kids was all a façade, and she had been the mastermind all along?

There were too many 'What Ifs' for their liking, so rather than ponder the theories any longer, they made the bold decision to determine for themselves what was really going on.

Sofia reached out toward the door of the headmistress's office and turned the knob, surprised to find it unlocked. However, she didn't let this minor detail deter her from following through with her goal. She shoved the door open and glared inside, expecting to see a startled look on the red-haired woman's face. What she found instead made her pause.

Lady Lacroix was tied to her own desk chair, magical bindings around her arms and legs, and what appeared to be a spell to keep her lips sealed.

"Lady Lacroix?" Amber gasped in surprise.

James blinked. "Well… I guess she's not the 'bad guy' after all."

Sofia dropped into a defensive stance as she glared at a dark energy that appeared next to the woman. Another woman stood next to the redhead, and while they favored a bit, this woman had plenty more differences. Her jet-black hair was twisted into a somewhat hasty updo. She wore a shiny teal top with a rather oversized bow hanging down to her stomach. A fitted black skirt hovered above her knees, which were met with black buckled boots. Her lips were a crimson shade, just barely matching the charismatic eye makeup that emphasized her piercing green eyes.

"Who are you?" Cedric demanded, his adrenaline preventing him from growing any weaker at the moment.

"I figured a group as intelligent as you four fancy yourselves to be would have figured that out by now," the woman chided in a teasing voice, her French accent similar to Lady Lacroix's. "I am known as Dame LaCrolais." She sneered as the group before her gasped in realization. "And you? You're interfering with my mission." She held one hand out toward them, preparing to strike.

"Wait!" the blonde princess ordered, frowning as the woman actually did as she was told. "Why is the headmistress tied up? Did she have anything to do with this?"

"Her?" After casting a quick glance to the other woman, the dame laughed hysterically. "Of course not! My sister is as kindhearted and sappy-minded as they come."

"Sister?!" they all echoed.

"It's not obvious?" She grinned and gestured between their glaringly similar features. "Of course, she took after our father with that wretched red hair. Anyway, with my sister working here, I decided to impersonate her on more than one occasion to get what I want." She chuckled. "I've managed not only to install my own 'staff' on the premises, but also drain these little brats of all their energy and magic."

"Why would you do that?" Cedric asked in disgust. "They're children!"

"Who don't know the full capability of magic," she finished for him, grinning. "I might as well make use of it since they won't." She curled a few fingers around her chin as she pondered. "By the way, as for you four, it was painfully obvious that you were undercover here. Maybe next time, send someone who actually knows how to blend in?"

Sofia frowned. "I knew we made too many scenes…"

"Not only that," Dame LaCrolais added. "What sort of students transfer to a new school so late in the year—especially four unrelated kids all at once?" She smirked. "Then it dawned on me. Must be a challenge."

"Give everyone back their magic and energy," Sofia ordered before gesturing toward Cedric, "including my friend."

"Aww, a demand? That's cute." Dame LaCrolais cackled as she held out her hands toward the kids, her own energy beginning to charge and her powers warming up. "Afraid I can't though. _So_ sorry. Any other last words before I destroy you all?"

"Yes," Cedric murmured before he shakily held his family wand out toward the woman, pointing it directly at her. "You're going down, you wretched woman!"

Dame LaCrolais cackled as she easily blasted Cedric in response, watching mirthfully as he collapsed onto the floor, his wand clattering next to him.

"Cedric!" "Mr. Cedric!"

Sofia dropped next to the sorcerer's side.

"That was cute, kid," Dame LaCrolais teased with a smirk. "But you are _no_ match for LaCrolais!"

"Are you all right?" Sofia asked worriedly as she helped her mentor sit up.

"No," he groaned, wincing, before looking toward her seriously. "Sofia, you must use her own curses against her."

"I don't know the—"

He frowned. "A counter curse will free both myself and the other students she's hurt from the magical hold." With a bit of difficulty, he reached into his pocket and passed her a folded piece of parchment. Before either could react, he instantly passed out, though Sofia shielded him from hitting the floor.

"Mr. Cedric," she whispered in fear, checking to make sure he was still breathing. When she was satisfied that he was, she briefly glanced toward his apparent note before glaring up at the woman. Livid that someone would attack her friend, she instantly jumped to her feet, preparing her Enchantlet to attack.

The dame smirked at her motion. "Well, well, finally a challenge! Tell me, what did your little friend show you? A secret recipe for destroying little old me?"

"You'd better start talking right now," the princess ordered as her siblings watched from a safe distance. "Why would you do something like that to him? To the rest of the kids at this boarding school? And why would you do this to your own sister?" She gestured toward the headmistress, who seemed dazed. "How can you be so awful?"

"Well, I tell you, it's a practice I've perfected for years," Dame LaCrolais laughed, powering up again. "But since I'm about to destroy you anyway, I suppose I could let you in on my little secret." She sneered. "Children's magic is far more potent than adults' magic, and I've been harvesting it for myself for quite some time. The curses I've enacted or had my staff enact have worked _wonders_ for me the last several years, and as it turns out…" She chuckled darkly as she glanced down at the passed-out sorcerer. "…They even indirectly affected your friend there, though I hear he never recited the curses. To be quite honest, I was _thrilled_ to hear that!"

Sofia growled, growing even angrier. She fisted her hands together and prepared to strike.

"Sofia!" Amber called out, trying to rationalize with the heated girl. "I know you're angry, but think this through." Seeing she had her sister's attention, she continued, "If you do something stupid, you'll risk losing against her, and nothing will be fixed, especially Cedric…"

The younger girl looked down again, her gaze softening as her eyes fell upon the still face of her mentor. "Mr. Cedric…"

"Don't you hate it when the outsiders try to interfere?" the dame scoffed as she turned her gaze toward the blondes. "I suppose we could fix that right now."

James scowled and stood in front of his sister, blocking her. "You leave us alone, you magic-stealing creep!"

Amber smiled briefly at her brother trying to protect her. Turns out his knightly instincts came through after all…

Sofia glanced at the crumpled parchment Cedric had given her before kneeling down and quickly grabbing his family wand from the floor beside him. Smirking, she stood up and aimed it at Dame LaCrolais, causing her to laugh raucously.

"Oh, this is great!" she cackled. "First the little pipsqueak, thinking he's going to protect Miss Powderpuff over there, and now you, acting like you know what you're doing." She smirked. "I know a real sorcerer's wand when I see one, and I know very well that you're nowhere near strong enough to use that thing on your own."

"We'll see about that," the girl murmured. She ran up to her and brushed the bow aside, revealing the cameo she wore. Before the dame could react, Sofia held the wand to the cameo and began to utter the counter curse, glancing at the parchment to help.

 _Octbaeoct gil baeoct (Reverse the curse)_

 _Octbae gil nostzin (Reverse the claim)_

 _Baetiko gil tiko (Untie the bonds)_

 _Octgilzin gil zin (Destroy the hold)_

 _Octoct gil zin (Reset the norm)_

 _Tiko gil nostzin (Yield the storm)_

 _Nostmin celd gilshlawceld octbae (Magic and strength return)_

Dame LaCrolais hissed angrily, shoving Sofia to the ground as the counter curse ripped the magic and energy she'd gained over the last several years from the cameo and her very body, leaving her somewhat haggard. By the time the counter curse was finished, the cameo erupted into a bright light, flooding the room with its blinding flash.

Once the kids opened their eyes again, the dame was gone.

"Is it over?" Amber asked in surprise as James hurried over and untied the headmistress. "We won?"

Sofia smiled tiredly as she moved over to Cedric, who was beginning to stir. "We won."

"I can't thank you children enough," the red-haired woman declared with a relieved smile as James released her. "I am terribly sorry for what you went through. Had I known of the extent of this, I would have done something sooner."

"How could you not know though?" Amber asked pointedly. "Most of the kids in this school were half-awake at best and mindless shells at worst. That one professor in the class under the school was responsible for the curse that drained most of the kids from magic, even affecting our royal sorcerer."

Sofia smiled as Cedric opened his eyes, gazing at her curiously.

Lady Lacroix shook her head. "My sister has been impersonating as me for some time, using my guise to do so many awful things. She even had me trapped in another dimension a majority of the time, so I couldn't have done much to stop her." She sighed, lowering her head. "I wish I could take back what has been done, but thankfully, because of all of you, things can start to return to normal." She looked toward Sofia, who hadn't taken her gaze from Cedric yet. "What happened to my sister though?"

Sofia finally blinked and glanced toward the woman, pausing. "Um…" She sighed. "I think the counter curse destroyed her cameo, but I'm not sure what happened to _her_." She looked toward the woman apologetically. "…The cameo may not have been the only thing destroyed…"

"I see..." She nodded before walking to her desk and withdrawing a long mahogany wand. Then, she stepped back over to James and grabbed him by the arms, pointing the wand at his neck as he yelped.

The girls gasped as Cedric finally reacted, gaping at the woman in surprise.

"Lady Lacroix, what are you doing?!" Amber asked in shock as she rushed over, trying to reach her brother. She was only stopped when Sofia jumped up, blocking her from moving any closer.

"You brats think you can waltz in here and just destroy my sister like that, and then think I'll just let it go?" A devastated, hurt look etched its way across her face, deep frown lines forming on her forehead.

James whimpered as the wand came dangerously close to his throat.

"Lady Lacroix," Sofia started calmly, trying to rationalize with her, "whatever your sister did, that was on her. She made her choices, and those choices led to her destruction. But you don't have to be like her! You could be different!"

"What if I don't _want_ to be different?!" She scowled at them. "What if I…?" She paused, lowering the wand and allowing James to scurry over to his sisters. "…I…" She dropped the wand, burying her face in her hands, sobbing.

"Hey," Amber said gently as she walked over and guided the headmistress to a chair, allowing her to sit down. "It's all right. You didn't know what she was planning, so you couldn't have stopped her. People make their own decisions, and she made hers. Unfortunately, that led to her downfall." She smiled gently as the woman gaped at her. "Don't let it lead to yours."

"Why are you being so nice to me after I just…?"

"Because we know what it's like to experience anger and pain," Sofia answered simply. "You reacted on instinct and out of vengeance for your sister, which is more than she deserves. I'm sorry you had to go through all this, Lady Lacroix, but don't let this destroy you like it did your sister."

The red-haired woman nodded solemnly as she sighed.

"What about me?!" James suddenly asked, flabbergasted. "She tried to destroy _me_!"

Amber scoffed. "James, she barely touched you with the wand. And she didn't say anything to activate it either. You're fine." She frowned. "We all do stupid things when we're upset." She then turned to the headmistress. "I think it's time you set things straight, Lady Lacroix. There need to be many changes in this school, and my suggestion is to first double check your staff and then check on your students to make sure they're okay."

The woman nodded numbly. "I… Yes. Yes…" She stood and sighed before smiling tiredly down at the blonde girl. "Thank you…"

She nodded kindly before watching as the woman left the office, leaving the Enchancians behind.

Hearing a small groan, Sofia knelt next to Cedric and looked him over, realizing that he seemed to be okay. She smiled in relief as he glanced toward her, holding a hand to his head.

"Ugh… What happened?" He was startled when Sofia dived straight at him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. He chuckled and returned the hug, happy to feel that his strength and powers had returned, and that things seemed to be all right. "Did you defeat her?"

Sofia laughed softly and nodded as she leaned back to smile at him. "Yeah…" She then frowned thoughtfully. "Where did you find that counter curse anyway?"

He sighed. "Let's just say that I've been privy to a few curses and other unsavory magical devices during my more rebellious years." He shrugged. "I'm not proud of it, but…"

She just smiled and nodded. "It's okay. I understand."

"Hmm." He smiled fondly. "I guess you won't need me as your mentor from here on out then. It seems you can handle things well enough on your own, so I doubt you'll need my guidance at all from this point."

She shook her head quickly. "Don't be silly. I'll _always_ need my Mr. Cedric."

He chuckled as she hugged him once again.

"Do you guys think we could go home now?" James asked pointedly. "Before someone _else_ wields a wand against us or tries to suck out our energy, or whatever?"

Sofia laughed as she nodded, separating from her mentor. "I agree." She then smiled back at Cedric. "Let's go home."

He nodded in agreement.

A few days later, things were all calm in Enchancia, and everyone was back where they belonged. Upon returning, Sofia had contacted the Protectors and reported the incident to them, and they claimed they'd handle any reciprocal damages or troubles caused by Dame LaCrolais, and they thanked her for her service and help.

Meanwhile, the royal children were preparing for their upcoming graduation. It had been a long time coming, and they were all anxious for it to arrive.

Cedric, now back to normal, beckoned Sofia over when he saw her walking to the dining room one morning for breakfast, and he smiled as she hurried over. "I have an early graduation gift for you."

Sofia's eyes lit up. "Really?"

He nodded. "Hold out your hands and close your eyes." Once she'd done so, he used his wand to tap against her palms, a small package appearing. "Open them."

The princess did as requested and blinked at the brown bag in her hands. It felt relatively light, though she wasn't sure why.

"You can open it if you'd like."

Sofia smiled before pulling the string away from the top, turning the bag over and watching as a dark purple wand fell out and into her awaiting hand. She blinked in surprise. "Mr. Cedric…?"

"That's my first wand I received when I originally became the royal sorcerer for your family." Seeing her shocked face, he smiled. "I want you to have it, even if you may not pursue a magical career down the road. I only want to keep you safe and well equipped, and I feel this wand will do that for you."

Sofia nearly teared up but managed to hold it together as she hugged him appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. Cedric!" She laughed as he knelt beside her to return her hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you…"

"I assure you that I'm not going anywhere. You needn't worry about that." He smiled at her as she gazed at him curiously. "Right now, my dear Sofia, my main focus is getting you graduated so that you can finally begin the next chapter of your life. And honestly, I can't wait to see what you have in store."

The auburn-haired princess grinned at him. "Neither can I, Mr. Cedric."

The end


End file.
